African Nations Cup round-up:Captain John Mensah scored a rare goal and got sent off as favourites Ghanalaboured to a 1-0 win over lowly Botswanain their opening Group D match in Franceville, Gabon on Tuesday.
The giant defender, who has played just one league game since returning to Olympique Lyon in France this season from a loan spell at Sunderland, bundled home the ball from close range following a corner after 25 minutes.
But Mensah then received the first red card of the tournament in the 66th minute when he knocked over Botswana striker Jerome Ramatlhakwana in a chase for the ball on the counter attack.
Mensah missed the last Nations Cup, in which Ghana finished runners-up, because of injury and will now sit out Ghana’s next Group D match against Mali in Franceville on Saturday.
Botswana qualified as one of the surprise packages of the preliminaries and enhanced their reputation with a solid defensive performance.
Leicester City defender John Paintsil spectacularly hooked the ball clear off his line early in the second half after an attack by Botswana down the wing delivered a cross that Moemedi Moatlhaping headed goalwards.
A speculative effort from Bakaye Traore flew high into the net to secure a hard-fought 1-0 win for Maliover Guineain the other game in Group D in Libreville
The French-born midfielder struck a firm shot from just outside the penalty area to separate the west African rivals, the last of the 16 teams at this year's tournament to get their campaigns underway.
The 29th-minute goal came after a strong run from Modibo Maiga who cut the ball back for Traore to blast home as Seydou Keita scampered out of the way.
